The decades-long conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir remains one of the world’s most intractable disputes, rooted in history, religion, and geopolitics. This ethnically diverse Himalayan region, known for its natural beauty, has been a source of tension even before India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain in 1947.
Under the Indian Independence Act, princely states like Kashmir were free to join either country. The Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, initially wished to remain independent. However, faced with an invasion by Pakistani tribesmen, he acceded to India in October 1947 in exchange for military support. This decision triggered the first Indo-Pakistani war and led to the involvement of the United Nations, which recommended a plebiscite that was never held due to disagreements over demilitarisation.
The region was divided by a UN-backed ceasefire line in 1949, now known as the Line of Control (LoC). Despite subsequent wars in 1965 and 1999, and both countries becoming nuclear powers, Kashmir remains split: India administers Jammu and Kashmir, while Pakistan controls Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Both nations claim the region in full.
Tensions have worsened since India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status under Article 370 in August 2019. This move, carried out by the BJP-led government, led to mass arrests, communication blackouts, and a spike in discontent. Although India touted improvements in infrastructure and tourism, critics cited a crackdown on freedoms.
The situation escalated again in February 2019 when a suicide bombing killed over 40 Indian soldiers, prompting cross-border air strikes. Tensions briefly subsided, but violence surged once more after a militant attack killed 26 tourists in April 2025. India responded with border closures, visa suspensions, and military strikes in Pakistan-administered areas, leading to retaliatory moves by Pakistan.
Kashmir remains heavily militarised and unstable. Despite periodic ceasefires and peace overtures such as during Modi’s 2014 swearing-in, attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hope for a lasting solution remains dim amid deep mistrust and continued violence.
The international community continues to urge de-escalation, but the path to peace appears elusive as both sides entrench their positions.
